


sunshine after the rain

by AStrangeDaze (TerraRising)



Series: sun, moon, and rain [2]
Category: Produce 101 (TV), X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2021-01-20 22:10:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21288974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerraRising/pseuds/AStrangeDaze
Summary: Han Seungwoo didn't start out the day looking to land a date with one Kim Wooseok. But now he's got one and, dear god, what on earth was he supposed to do?!or, 5 times Han Seungwoo freaks out just a little bit (okay, more than just a little bit) and doubts himself + 1 time he doesn't have to anymoresequel to "light scattering clouds"
Relationships: Han Seungwoo & Cho Seungyoun|Seungyoun, Han Seungwoo/Kim Wooseok | Wooshin
Series: sun, moon, and rain [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1534631
Comments: 15
Kudos: 124





	sunshine after the rain

**\- 1 - **

Seungwoo returns to his office with a spring in his step, waving away Byungchan’s questioning look, and settles behind his desk with his latte feeling on top of the world. He had done it! He had asked Wooseok out on a date and the younger man had said yes!

It takes five seconds for his stomach to drop out from under him.

_Oh my god - I asked Wooseok out and he said _ ** _yes_ ** _. _

He said yes. And they were going out tonight. Tonight! Why did he set it to sometime so soon? Why didn’t he give himself more time to prepare? Why did he think that _him dating_ was a good idea?!

Seungwoo still isn’t quite sure when his interest in Wooseok shifted from curiousity about the stranger that he seemed to keep running into, to interest in getting to know him and pursuing him romantically. He still remembers the first night that they had met, when Wooseok was just a stranger blocking the middle of the aisle in a 7-Eleven, clearly in a daze. Seungwoo had meant to ask the other politely to move aside, please, he wanted to grab himself a drink when the other man had turned slowly to face him as if still in a trance and then the “Are you okay?” had slipped out of his mouth faster than he could recall feeling concerned.

Wooseok had looked so _lost_ then, there was something on his face that was helplessly blank, as if the world had been pulled out from under him and he was still in the process of computing the fact so he could understand why he was falling. Seungwoo still remembers that forced smile on Wooseok’s face that had announced to the world that he was decidedly _not_ okay, and then before he knew what he was doing, he had bought an extra drink and chased after the other man to offer it to him in a classic “not minding your own business” fashion, as Seungyoun liked to call it.

He hadn’t ever expected to see Wooseok again, though he had gone home that night hoping the other was alright and safe. When he had run into him again while escaping the rain, Seungwoo had promptly overstepped with his questions before running off after leaving the other his umbrella in a silent apology and a hope that a kind action might help, even just a little.

Fast forward to the next time he ran into Wooseok again at the coffee shop and Seungwoo himself had been stunned by how different Wooseok had looked with a smile on his face. When he wasn’t clearly down in the dumps or angry with the world, the other man radiated a kind of aura that made you helpless but to want to smile back, the kind that made you want to look twice and hope to keep his attention on your for just a second longer. Seungwoo had hurried back to work that day with a warmth blossoming in his chest that had nothing to do with his free coffee and the most delicious fritter he had ever tasted. And now-

“Seungwoo hyung?”

Seungwoo’s head whips up at the sound of Byungchan’s inquiring tone. “Y-yes?” he cleared his throat loudly as if his stutter was due to a dry throat and not his sudden bout of nerves.

“Hyung?” Byungchan’s head pops up from behind the cubicle wall, guileless eyes wide with concern, “Everything okay?”

Seungwoo clears his throat and then smiles at his cute dongseng, “Yes, I’m fine, Byungchan, don’t worry. I just accidentally knocked my pen holder over, no need to worry.”

“Oh, okay. Do you want a cookie, hyung?

“I’m going to drop some things off at accounting, do you have anything you want me to drop off while I’m there?”

“Oh yes,” Seungwoo turned and rummaged through his outbox to pull out three files, handing it to Byungchan with a grateful smile, “Thank you Byungchan, you saved me a walk.”

“No problem!” the younger boy beamed, “But hyung….are you _sure_ okay? You seemed kinda lost in thought.”

“I’m fine,” Seungwoo brushed him off with a smile, “I’m just a bit tired, nothing some coffee won’t fix.”

He regrets that line almost as soon as he says it because all it does it remind him of Wooseok and his impending date again, but he manages to hang on to his nonchalant smile until Byungchan turns and leaves.

_Wooseok. _

_Their date tonight. _

_Han Seungwoo on a _ ** _date_ ** _,_

_Shit, what was he going to _ ** _do_ ** _?_

* * *

**\- 2 -**

Work only manages to keep him distracted for so long. He’s made more mistakes in the past hour than he has in the entire three months during his probation and finally it’s useless to pretend otherwise anymore. Seungwoo slumps over on his desk, groaning as quietly into the table as possible so not to tip off anyone to his predicament. It’s pathetic, he’s pathetic, a grown man this thrown off just because he’s got pre-date jitters.

But it’s been years since he dated! Those times Seungyoun tricked him into one, or those times that his coworkers had pressured him into mixers don’t count!

This was a date that he himself had set up with someone that he was genuinely interested in getting to know better!

His arm fumbles around before he realizes what he’s about to do and Seungwoo stares at his hand as if it were a traitor, forcing his fingers to slowly unclench from around his cell phone. It doesn’t work.

_Han Seungwoo_, he tries to scold himself and stay stern,_ you’re almost thirty now, you are not going to run crying to your sister in a panic._

He stares at his phone for an eternity before his traitorous fingers unlock the screen and holds three down for speed dial while he’s still making up his mind. For a second Seungwoo contemplates hanging up but then Sunhwa would only call him back asking what the sudden call was for and he’s in no condition to lie right now so he lifts the phone to his ear shakily with a gulp.

_“_Seungwoo-ah, I have a meeting in ten minutes, is it urgent or short?” his sister’s pleasantly no-nonsense voice filters through the speaker and he relaxes minutely at the familiarity of it.

“Noona,” he clears his throat surreptitiously when his voice comes out a little croaky, “I need some advice.”

“Oh?” he can hear her rummaging through some papers on the other end, “About?”

“I…..I asked someone out.” The words come out louder than the whisper he intended and he winces, looking around to see if anyone could have overheard. Thinking better of it, Seungwoo stands up and steps out of the office and into a little used storage room; might as well take his break now.

His sister pauses for a moment on the other end before a tinkling laugh fills his ears, her amusement colouring ever word after. “You have a date? _That’s_ what you’re calling me about, little brother?”

“Noona!” the whine escapes his throat unbidden, and for a second he hates how he always reverts back to a child around her.

“No no, none of that, tell noona all about it. Who finally caught my brother’s attention enough to fluster him to this point?”

“I, I, nevermind!”

“I can hear you panic all the way from the top floor,” she teases, “what, are you getting cold feet, little brother? Ahhh, this is like your first date all over again.”

“Noona!”

“Are you buying them flowers? First impressions are very important you know,” she continues musing as if she never heard the protest, “Not that it’s really your first impressions really, but it’s the first date so it’s a different first impression. But something toshow that you took the time to think of them is always nice, it doesn’t have to be flowers. Maybe they don’t like flowers, do they like flowers?”

“Wait, should I bring flowers? But I don’t know if he likes flowers-”

“So it’s a boy then!”

“Noona!”

“Sorry, sorry! You’re just always so tight-lipped about these things,” she sighs, tone put out even though he knows she’s delighted, “You didn’t even mention them at all, not once over all the lunches and dinners I treat you to.”

“I just, I wasn’t _sure_ you know?” Seungwoo stumbles over his own words, “I’m _still_ not sure. What if this is a mistake? What if I make a complete fool of myself?”

_What if I’m not enough?_

“Seungwoo-ah,” Sunhwa loses her teasing tone, “You’re not going to make a fool of yourself, and anyone who makes you feel that way doesn’t deserve you.”

“But what if, what if it…” he trails off, biting off the the words, halting the thoughts he doesn’t want to bring back into his life, words that he had never told his sister and likely never would.

_“_Is he a good person?”

“Wha-”

“Answer the question Seungwoo: is he a good person?”

Seungwoo swallows once, and then a second time at his sister’s stern tone, “Yes, yes he is.”

“Do you like spending time with him?”

“Yes, I do, but-”

“Has he given you any indication that he _isn’t_ interested in you?” Sunhwa fires off question after question mercilessly without stopping to let Seungwoo over think things.

“No?”

“Do you want to be more than just friends with him?”

Seungwoo thinks of Wooseok’s smile, the way the expression softens his already lovely features and brightens the very room, “Yeah, I do.”

“Mmmm. And if this date didn’t work out, would you still want to be friends?”

“Yeah, he’s…he would be a good friend to have.”

“Then stop thinking the worse of everything and of yourself. You’re going to go on your date, and you’re both going to enjoy yourselves. And if you both decide to stay friends, then it’s just that nothing changes,” Sunhwa declares, and Seungwoo almost wants to laugh; his sister was always like this, decisive and fearless to the bone, if only he could be a little bit more like that.

“I,” he gives in to the urge to laugh helplessly, feeling some of the tension drain out of him, “Thanks noona, I appreciate it.”

“Noona is always here for you,” she reminds him fondly, “That’s what older siblings are for, remember? Now, I’ve got to run for my meeting, but you better call me tonight after your date! I want to hear all about it.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll call you later. Have a good day at work,” Seungwoo agrees, knowing that there’s no way he can avoid the force of nature that is his sister anyways, “Love you.”

“Love you too, bye!”

* * *

**\- 3 -**

Seungyoun makes a sudden appearance around Seungwoo’s lunch break, the smile on his face still looking just a bit too manic to not be caffeine-fueled, with maybe a couple of energy drinks thrown in to those nasty concoctions the other favours for his train of all-nighters. The way his friend’s leg keeps twitching is enough of a cue for Seungwoo to power through the rest of the document he was working on so that he can take his lunch break and decidedly steer Seungyoung _away_ from his work station and sensitive documents. It takes little effort at all for him to lead the shorter man into their usual restaurant, waving at the proprietress who beams and shouts a greeting back as they take a seat at a free booth.

“Have you slept?” Seungwoo asks as soon as they’re both seated, brows furrowing.

“Not since Tuesday,” Seungyoun beams, talking faster than he normally does.

“It’s _Friday_, Seungyoun-ah,” he sighs, exasperated.

If anything, the statement only causes Seungyoun’s smile to stretch into a painful approximation of a Cheshire grin. “Seriously,” Seungwoo pushed a glass of water towards his best friend, “You need to stop having this much caffeine, your body is going to give out on your before you hit thirty.”

“Psht, I have no _time_ to die,” Seungyoun scoffs even as he accepts the silent order not to have coffee and have a proper meal intead, nodding along as politely as he is able to as Seungwoo waved the waitress over and gave their usual orders.

“That’s what you say until you end up in the hospital,” he clucked his tongue, “Honestly.”

“Mah, I’m fine hyung, really, I just finished coding everything like an hour ago? I’ll go home directly after lunch and just crash, I would have gone to sleep now but I’m still a bit too keyed up, figured I’d eat and see you! Bam, one stone, two birds. How’s life been?”

“Good,” Seungwoo takes a swig of his water, suddenly unable to meet his friend’s eyes, “It’s been. Good.”

It takes barely two seconds for Seungyoun to cotton on to the fact that Seungwoo was hiding something and the sly grin that stretches across his face spells disasters for him. “Hyung,” the younger man practically drawls, “you wouldn’t be _hiding_ anything from your best friend, would you?”

“You’re not my best friend, you’re a menace,” he deflects.

“I’m a menace who is also your best friend,” Seungyoun counters, “Now, I know you well enough that there’s no hiding it. Spill.”

“I told you it’s nothing.”

“I have your sister’s number,” he threatened and then grins in triumph as Seungwoo groaned, taking another sip of his water and looking away with shifty eyes.

“I knew it, you are hiding something, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me-”

Seungwoo reaches across the table to slap a hand over Seungyoun’s mouth before he could build up further momentum; he was close enough to vibrating out of his seat as is. “Quit it! We’re in public,” he hissed before suddenly pulling his hand back with a cry of disgust.

Seungyoun smiles as if he didn’t just lick Seungwoo’s hand like the utter brat that he was whenever he had too much caffeine, “Tell meeeee.”

Their food arrives at what must be the most opportune moment ever and Seungwoo starts to shovel rice into his mouth in lieu of responding, glaring until Seungyoun took the hint and started inhaling his portion as well. By the time they’re halfway through their meals, Seungwoo is certain that his shins are bruised from Seungyoun’s insistent and not-quite-gentle nudges under the table. “What?” he snaps after swallowing his bite of food.

“You know what,” Seungyoun grouses, a slight droop to his eyes taking over as his energy starts flagging, though it wasn’t obvious at all with the sharp kick he aimed at Seungwoo, “Fess up, hyung.”

“You are the absolute _worse_, I swear-”

“You’ve been tense this entire time,” Seungyoun cuts him off, “You were tapping your foot under your desk earlier at work, and it took you ages to notice me hovering. Something’s off and it’s not me bugging you.”

Seungwoo exhaled, long and drawn out; the problem with best friends was that they knew too much, too well.

“I have a date tonight,” he finally bites out, going straight back to his meal and refusing to look up.

“You do?!” Seungyoun shoots straight up, knee narrowly missing the underside of the table as he jerks with zero coordination to his limbs, “Since _when_, who is it? How long have you kept this crush from me?!

“Since a while? I asked him just this morning…”

“Well who is it? What’s he like? Is he hot? Wait, no, you like the glowy, innocent types.”

Seungwoo snorts, recalling the strength of Wooseok’s glower and his death glare the second time they met, “I don’t think I’d call him that exactly.”

“So?”

“Urgh, you remember that time I took Luizy to the park?”

“You’re going to have to be more specific than that, I swear she’s half your’s at this rate.”

“The time we came back really late.”

“Ahhh,” Seungyoun kicks his feet back and forth like an excited child, “I knew there was more to that story you fed me. So, you met him at the park? Awww, that’s so _romantic_, hyung. Does that make Luizy the best wing-woman?”

“Stop making that face. And we didn’t meet that day, I’d run into him a few times before. But that was the first time we really, uh, really had a chance to chat?”

“Aaaanndddd?” Seungyoun draws out every syllable in a way he knows Seungwoo finds obnoxious.

“And I asked him out this morning, what else do you want from me?!”

“His name would be good for starters,” he sniffed, “Gosh, trying to get details from you is like pulling teeth.”

“Wooseok,” Seungwoo drops to a half whisper without realizing it, “His name is Wooseok.”

“Okay, Wooseok, that’s a good name, Wooseok, I’m glad we can talk about Wooseok instead of you hiding things from me,” Seungyoun muses to himself and there’s an irrational part of Seungwoo who wants his friend to stop repeating Wooseok's name, as if by repetition, it would somehow jinx the date that was to come.

“I’m not _hiding_ things from you I just…”

“Just what?”

“Just. What if it…..like before. What if it ends like before?”

Seungyoun’s face shifts from his teasing, jovial self to the face Seungwoo sees at late nights when their secrets fall off of their tongue over drinks and under dim lights, but for a split second in between he wears the face of nightmares, the person you least want to see in a back alley after midnight, quiet and ready to kill. Oddly enough, that reaction is what made Seungwoo feel safe enough to tell Seungyoun his troubles the first time, and also the reason why he continues to confide in his friend. Seungyoun reaches acroos the table to grab one of Seungwoo’s hands, holding him tightly, “Seungwoo. Hyung. What happened before was a tragedy, the actions of a bad person, and not a reflection of who you are or what you’re ‘destined’ to end up with. I know the bullshit he fed you sticks around, but you’re so _good_ hyung. The world really doesn’t deserve you. In fact, I think the world owes you a great boyfriend next to make up for what you went through.”

Seungwoo smiles a little tremulously, flipping his hand over to that he can squeeze back, “Thanks Seungyoun.”

“And if this Wooseok does or says _anything_ to make you uncomfortable, I’ll murder him, dismember his corpse, and get Luizy to help me bury him in a place no one will ever find,” Seungyoun finishes, completely destroying the touching atmosphere that was starting to build.

It does the trick though and Seungwoo can’t help but laugh, “No murder please, that’s not the answer to everything.”

“It’s the answer to _some_ things though,” Seungyoun insists, grabbing his spoon awkwardly with his left hand so he doesn’t have to let go of Seungwoo, “Just say the word hyung, I’ll avenge you.”

"Finish your food, you brat."

Seungyoun snickers, tapping the tip of his shoe against Seungwoo's shin again, lightly this time, "Yes, hyung."

* * *

**\- 4 - **

Seungwoo sends Seungyoun home in a cab when the younger man trips three times just leaving the restaurant, exhausted as he is, and then heads back to work. His afternoon is filled with meetings and last minute corrections to project parameters that has Seungwoo too busy cursing upper management to focus on anything else. When his phone rings through the dnd he had it set on, he’s shocked enough to pick it up on impulse when he sees his mother’s contact displayed on his screen.

“Hello, mom? Is everything alright?” he whispers in a hurry.

“Seungwoo-ah! I heard from your sister.”

He frowns, confused, “I’m sorry, noona told you something?”

“This child, still pretending,” she clucks, “your date! Sunhwa told me you’re meeting someone tonight, and you kept telling me you weren’t interested in dating at all! You, making me refuse Lee Ahjumma all the time, you should have just told me you weren’t interested in daughters so mom can find you a nice boy instead.”

“Mom!” he hissed, scandalized, “I’m at work, can I call you back later?”

“No no no, you have your date after work, you have to prepare! Just bring him over for dinner this weekend.”

“Mom! I’m not bringing him over this weekend, we’re not even dating!”

“Yet! You’re not dating yet,” she chortles to herself, already making insane plans for his eventual wedding and all her adopted grandchildren, he just knew it.

Ever since Sunhwa had put her foot down and declared that she didn’t have to marry a CEO because she was going to _become_ the CEO (and then set out to accomplish exactly just that, leaving her insanely busy but happy about it), their mother had been looking at her other two slightly less ambitious children to fulfil her dreams of becoming a grandmother within the decade. And since Jiyeong was still in university finishing up her PhD, insisting she has no time for a family right now, his mother had been increasingly placing all her hopes on him.

“Mom,this is our first date and it’s really much too early to tell, okay?” he sighs, “I’ll call you later, I have to go.”

“Alright, alright, but come for dinner this weekend anyways, okay? I love you.”

“Love you too, mom, bye,” he hangs up, turning back to the five new e-mails that had cropped up in the span of that conversation and sighed.

All he can think of now was the last time he had brought someone home to meet his family, how hopeful he had been.

And how disappointed.

_Stop painting everything with the same brush_, he scolds himself, even as his inner voice came out sounding like his sister, _give it a fair chance or don’t bother at all!_

But family is another dimension added to relationships that he worries about. It’s one of his faults, overthinking; once he gets stuck inside his head with “what if”s and “but what about”s, there’s just no end to it. Smaller things are easier to brush off, to push aside, but his family is so very important to him and Seungwoo so desperately want to be certain that his family and his future partner will like each other, and that he won’t have to make excuses later on if things don’t work out.

_Han Seungwoo, you stop this right now_, he slaps himself lightly on the cheek, prompting a worried look from Byungchan as he looks over to see what was going on, _stop thinking so far ahead! You haven’t even gone on the date yet!_

“Hyung?” Byungchan rolls over on his wheelie chair, pace fast when propelled by those long legs of his, “Are you okay? Still tired? Want me to get you a coffee?”

“No, I’m fine,” Seungwoo manages a smile, reaching out to ruffle the other’s hair in thanks for the genuine concern and care the younger never failed to show him, “Really, I’ve just got a lot on my mind right now, but thank you for asking.”

“Okay, if you say so hyung,” Byungchan nods, nose crinkling under the onslaught on his hair but not moving away, “Is there anything I can help you with though? I’m just about finished the drafts.”

Right. Work. Seungwoo takes a deep breath discreetly, kicking his brain out of it’s rut with sheer force of will and stubbornness, fixating on his work instead. “Actually, if you’re free and up for a challenge,” he spins around quickly to nab a USB stick along with a stack of papers which he hastily clips together and holds it out to Byungchan whom accepts it even before Seungwoo has finished explaining his request, eager as always, “Could you run that over to R&D, and then work out with them which parts of the specifications are possible and which we’re going to have to spin to the client as “ill advised”? There’s a few requirements I’ve highlighted as non-negotiable, but the rest is a bit more flexible; just please stress that the non-negotiable elements are exactly that, non-negotiable. I’ve vetted the elements already so I know it’s tricky but it’s doable, try to keep their suggestions within budget though.”

“Yeah, of course!” Byungchan is happy to try something new as always, “Um, is there someone in R&D I should be taking this to specifically?”

“Not Yuvin,” Seungwoo says rather decisively, “He got into a tiff with the client during the last product meeting and I’d rather not have to run interference again next time. Anyone else is fine though. Kookheon maybe if he’s free?”

“Okay,” Byungchan agreed.

“Thanks again Byungchan, you’ve been a great help so far,” Seungwoo doesn’t resist giving the younger man’s hair one last pat, “Let me now if you ever need reference letters for anything!”

As the intern takes off, Seungwoo glances at the clock and then sighs, stretching his arms and cracking his neck briefly before pulling up another file on his computer. 3:49 PM, well then, he’d better concentrate and get all of this done.

* * *

**\- 5 - **

It’s 6:03 PM and Seungwoo is in the tiny bathroom at work, fixing his hair in a hurry and rinsing his mouth out with the tiny bottle of mouthwash that Seungsik had placed on his desk before leaving with a little laugh and a whispered “have fun”, the little eavesdropper. At least he was discreet about his teasing.

But god only knows how many of his team members actually knew about his date now.

Straightening and making sure his clothes weren’t overly rumpled after a full work day or accidentally stained with coffee or pen, Seungwoo took stock of all he had to do. Should be bring a gift, flowers, like Sunhwa suggested? Or was that too cliched? Does Wooseok even like flowers?

Images of the other man weaving a crown from wild flowers and looping that around an excited Luizy’s neck while cooing flashes in his mind’s eye and Seungwoo can’t help the smile that tugs at his lips. _I wonder what Wooseok would look like with flowers in his hair-_

Shaking his head violently to dislodge that thought, Seungwoo cleared his throat awkwardly even though no one was around to witness that, patting his cheeks lightly as if that might help dispel the light blush that had invaded his cheeks. Right. So flowers then. Wooseok gets off work at 6:30, and the coffee shop was only a fifteen minute walk from his office, which leaves Seungwoo ample time to drop by a flower shop and pick something up.

_Or were flowers too much? What if Wooseok didn’t want his coworkers to see or gossip? _Seungwoo pushes open the door and hurries towards the elevators even as his mind keeps racing. _Should be bring something else? Chocolates? But that’s even more generic. A stuffed animal? What if that was too childish?_

_Was it too late to call this off now?_

He finds himself in front of a flower shop eventually anyways, hands carding through his bangs in a familiar nervous gesture. He dithers in place, hemming and hawing over the different options before one of the florists takes pity on him and pulls his stuttering worries out of him. “Since it’s a first date and you’re worried about overwhelming them, something simple is probably best,” the florist had reasoned, Seungwoo nodding along in agreement. He leaves with a single purple rose wrapped elegantly in a black box clutched in one hand as he makes his way towards the coffeeshop.

Oh god he was actually doing this. Thoughts of how everything could go terribly wrong swarms him, leaving Seungwoo warring with his desire to get to know Wooseok better and just the sheer instict to run and flee from all his problems and uncertainties, to retreat back into a space where he was in control and no one could hurt him.

The box digging into his hands shakes him out of the downward spiral and Seungwoo takes several deep breaths while trying ton concentrate on the feel of the box in his hands, the smooth material, dulled edges, how the shape of the box slowly tapers to a point. It’s enough to keep him grounded so that he’s not close to bolting when he reaches the coffeeshop and there’s a part of him laughing bitterly at the mess he’s become internally over a single date with an attractive man whom he may or may not even date long term.

No matter how much he wants to.

* * *

**\+ 1**

There’s a figure bundled up in a light fall jacket standing just outside the doors, leaning against the wall casually, soft locks falling into eyes focused on the screen on his phone and framing a lovely face. Wooseok looks up at the sound of Seungwoo’s footsteps and his smile causes Seungwoo’s heart to stutter, the thudding of his heartbeat drowning out the voices whispering all the things he didn’t want to hear.

“Hey,” Wooseok slips his phone into his pocket, pushing off the wall to walk towards Seungwoo.

“Hi,” Seungwoo finds himself on the verge of stuttering like a schoolboy and offers the rose to buy himself some time to recover, “This is for you.”

“Oh!” the delighted look in Wooseok’s eyes as he accepts the rose, looking shy but oh so very pleased washes away the rest of Seungwoo’s doubts, “Thank you, it’s lovely.”

“I’m glad you like it,” Seungwoo beams, smile coming to him more naturally now, “Shall we?”

“Of course,” Wooseok loops his arm around Seungwoo’s as if it’s the most natural thing on earth for him to do, looking up to flash him another smile, and Seungwoo thinks he’s going to combust, “Where are we off to?”

The question almost brings him stuttering to a halt. “I, uh,” _oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, he was a complete and utter idiot, Han Seungwoo you walking failure, this is why no one wants to stay, you fixate on the things that don’t matter and then forget the ones that do, you forgot to pick a place for dinner, you-_

A tug on his arm brings him back to the present to see Wooseok peering up at him, curiosity coloured by concern. A split second and then a teasing smile unravels across the younger man’s face and a long, elegant finger comes up to poke at the furrow between his brows. “Hey, none of that now,” Wooseok gives a light laugh before tugging him along without a single comment on his blunder, “Come on, I know a good place around here. How do you feel about grilled meat?”

The knotted feeling in his chest slowly unravels as Wooseok continues to chatter at him, asking him about his day as they walk towards the restaurant of Wooseok’s choice (“They’ve got the best deals there! Well, that and I get a discount because the ahjumma likes me, I was in the poetry club with her daughter when we were in primary school.”) and pretty soon Seungwoo is giving more than stilted answers as his nerves slowly dissipate. They’re seated pretty quickly, Wooseok excusing himself briefly to give the proprietress a hug and ask after her health before darting back to their table. “Sorry,” he apologizes with a light grin, slipping into the seat across from Seungwoo easily, “Figured I should say hi, didn’t mean to ditch you there.”

“It’s no problem at all,” Seungwoo smiles back, “Sorry I didn’t, uh, plan this too well.”

Wooseok snorts, flipping through the menu without ever pausing for more than a second to glance at the pages, “Seungwoo-ssi, you might have asked me on a date, but it’s not your sole responsibility to plan things, you know that right?”

“Uh-”

“You better not think you’re making all the decisions in this relationship,” Wooseok warns him, brandishing the rose in his face, half joking and half in serious warning, “Or you’ve got a rude awakening in store.”

“Relationship?” Seungwoo parrots in question, feeling an odd feeling bubbling up in his chest.

Wooseok flushes a bright red immediately, almost dropping the rose as he looks away awkwardly, “I-I mean. **If**. If we were to, um, to date. Seriously. And even if we were just friends, you can’t just decide everything for yourself! Because you make decisions together in a relationship. In any relationship! Friends or…or partners. That’s what I, what I meant.”

Seungwoo is beaming at the end even though Wooseok trails off and looks as if he is wishing the ground would spontaneously open up and swallow him whole.

“Okay, Wooseok-ssi,” he reaches across the table, offering his hand, “Let’s make the decisions together then. To a beautiful partnership.”

Wooseok turns even redder at his words even as he reaches forward himself to clasp hands with Seungwoo briefly before drawing back as if scalded. “I can’t believe you just said that with a straight face,” he complains briefly before composing himself, “that was so cheesy. And presumptuous, this is our first date!”

“You’re the one who called this a ‘relationship’,” Seungwoo teases, enjoying the way Wooseok looks as he’s riled up but still trying to look calm and collected, falling back on that ‘city chic’ mask he wears so well.

“Do you not want it to be?” he’s challenged and Seungwoo pauses for a moment, taking stock of how Wooseok has tensed. It’s too early to tell really, much too early to have anything to go off of than an initial attraction and a few enjoyable encounters. He should wait, it’s too early to commit, to become invested. But the way Wooseok had brushed off his earlier blunder, the sweet way he fussed over the health of an old classmate’s mother, the way he speaks of making decisions _together_, the fact that he’s taking this date seriously, taking Seungwoo seriously.

“I do.”

“Well,” Wooseok blinks before going back to the menu, looking pleased, “first joint decision then: what do you want to eat for dinner, Han Seungwoo?”

Yes, it wasn’t forever, but it was definitely a start.

**Author's Note:**

> And finally, this is done! Comment below to make my day?


End file.
